20 September 2006

'20-06' all-aluminium chair by Foster and Emeco

Foster and Partners has designed '20-06', an aluminium chair and stool for Emeco, the Aluminium Chair Company. '20-06' recalls Emecos classic 10-06 Navy ¨ Chair the all-aluminium icon first made for submarines in WWII, while expressing a refined structure and modern inference. Both 20-06 and the classic 10-06 have an estimated 150-year lifespan.

The sleek new chair features an ultra-slim, all-aluminium frame, tempered for strength and hand-made at the historic Hanover Pennsylvania factory using Emecos proprietary 77 Step Process. The ergonomically shaped aluminium seat and back are hand-welded, resulting in a minimal, seamless appearance. 20-06 is super-strong, yet uses 15% less aluminium than the original Navy ¨ Chair. Of that metal, 80% is recycled aluminium, qualifying as an environmentally sound product. The lightweight chairs will stack 10 high and retail for US$ 385 the same as the 10-06 Navy ¨ Chair. Bar and counter stools will sell for around $ 450.'20-06' passes BIFMA requirements and is guaranteed for life.

John Small, lead designer on the '20-06' project said, Working with Gregg Buchbinder (the owner of Emeco) and the Emeco team has been fascinating. From our first contact with Emeco, we wanted to create a new chair that would challenge not only Emecos materials and processes but also ourselves as designers. The new '20-06' is the result of a genuine collaboration between Foster and Partners and the Emeco Team and will contribute to Emeco's remarkable history.